Date
12-11-2024
Department
School of Communication and the Arts
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Communication (PhD)
Chair
Robert Mott
Keywords
FCPT, single mothers, conformity orientation, conversation orientation, culture
Disciplines
Communication
Recommended Citation
Mattson, Susan Renee, "Family Communication Patterns Theory: A Mixed Methods Examination of Single Mothers’ Communication Styles" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6249.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6249
Abstract
The mixed methods approach was used to research single mothers’ communication patterns. Fitzpatrick and Ritchie’s family communication patterns theory (FCPT) was used to guide the research. Online surveys and semi structured interviews were used to gather data that were analyzed through MAXQDA and SPSS software. The research examined factors such as age, culture, and the number of children a mother has in correlation to variables such as conformity and conversation orientation on the FCPT scale. The quantitative portion of the research revealed significant findings about culture and conformity orientation in single mothers from collectivist cultures. The qualitative section mirrored similar findings.
